Machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 1'.

' G. W. HALL.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 364,343; Patented June 7, 1887b N. PETERS. Phuld-Uthos'mpher. w min m. uvc.

(No Model.) 4 Sheen -Sheet G. W. HALL.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. k

Patent-3d June 7, 1887.

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G. W. HALLf TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 364,343. r Patented'June 7, 1887.

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( No Model.)

G W HALL TYPE WRITING MA CHINE.

No. 364,343. Patented June '7, 1887.

Iiiii I BUEUWPW DUUUDUD DUDUUUU DUDUUUU UDUUUUU UUUUUUU UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

GEORGE \V. HALL, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,343, dated June 7, 1887.

Application filed April 24, 1884. Serial No. 120,101. (No model.)

To aZZ whmn it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, GEORGE W. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vashington, in the District of Columbia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Type- Writing Machines, of which the following is a speei tication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to that class of typewriting machines employing a movable type carrier; and its object is to provide a machine of this kind which will be simple and inexpensive in construction and eifieient in operation, and to secure perfect alignment and spacing of the letters.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top plan (partly broken away, on line 1 1, Fig. 3, to show the underlying mechanism) of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on the line 2 2, Figs. 1 and Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3, Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4. is an enlarged face viewof the typecarrier, and Fig. 5 a section of the same. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the ribbon mechanism, and Figs. 7, 8, and 9 detail views of the mechanism for operating the impressioncylinder.

A indicates the sides or standards of the frame-work of the machine, which will be of castiron or other suitable material.

A is the base of the frame-work, A an elevated platform supported by the sides A, and A the top or cover, which will be the keyboard.

B is a rock shaft or bar pivoted to the sides A. This shaft or bar B is provided with a series of fingers, b, extending beneath the keyboard.

0 is the type-carrier connected to arms 0, the extremities of which loosely embrace the bar B, so as to move freely longitudinally thereof. To the bar B is secured an arm, I), the outer end of which enters a slot in a bar, 0, connecting the arms 0, or forming part of the typecarrier C, said outer end of the said arm b being preferably provided with an antii'riction roller, L The arm I) thus serves as a rigid support for the type-carrier 0 relative to the bar B, so that said carrier will move vertically when the said bar is rocked, while the loose connectionsof the type-carrier with the said bar, by means of the arms 0, roller 1), and

slotted bar 0', will admit of a free horizontal movement of said type-carrier. Thus it will be evident that said carrier will be capable of a universal movement in a vertical plane, so as to bring any of the types carried thereby into a desired position.

The horizontal movements of the type-earrier are imparted theretofrom a rocking shaft or bar, D, pivoted to lugs or supports D on the base A and provided with a series of fingers, d. Said bar D is also provided with a rigid arm, (1, connected by a llllkftl with one of the supporting-arms c of the type'earrier, so that any rocking movement of the shaft D will cause a corresponding horizontal movement of the type-carrier.

The rocking finger-bars B and D are actuated by the operator by means of a series of vertically-sliding keys, E, having buttons of the usual form at their upper ends, said keys being guided vertical] y in. recesses in the platform A and keyboard A The keys E, excepting those in the upper and lefthand rows, Fi 1, are arranged at the intersection of the fingers I) and (Z, so that both of the fingerbars may be moved by any one of these keys, excepting those in the upper and left-hand rows, Fig. 1, which will (with the exclusion of the corner key at the intersection of these two rows, which moves neither finger-bar) each IllOVG but one of .the said finger-bars. The keys E preferably engage the fingers b and d by flatpointcd projections e, which are more conducive to a delicate and steady movement than a larger contact-surface. The rocking finger-bar B is moved in opposition to the movement imparted thereto by the keys E by a retracting-spring, b connected to an arm, b on said bar and to the frame of the machine, and. the finger-bar D is similarly moved by a spring, (1", connected to one of the fingers (Z and to the frame.

As the keys E are arranged at varying distances from the axes of the finger-bars B and D, it follows that equal vertical movements of the said keys will result in varying movements of the type-carrier. Thus, supposing the parts to be so proportioned that avertical movement of one-half an inch of any of the keys in the righthand row, Fig. 1, would cause a rocking movement of ten degrees to the finger-bar 13, it follows that a similar movement of any of the keys in the rows farther to the left would cause a lesser rocking movement of said bar. According to well-known mathematical rules the fingers b and d, arranged as shown, would have to be unequally spaced on the bars B and D, by arranging the fingers d farther and farther apart toward the left in Fig. 1, and the fingers I) farther and farther apart toward the top in said figure, to secure a uni form variation of movement to said bars from the keys in the different rows; but as this would require an unequal spacing of the keys, and as it is desirable to space the latter uniformly, the uniform variation above referred to is preferably secured by lost motion, which resultsfrom constructing the keys so that they may have more or less vertical movement before their projections 0 come in contact with the fingers b or d. This lost motion is,- however, so very slight practically that it need not be taken into consideration; but it will be greatest with the keys which are farthest removed from the axes of the bars 13 and D.

The downward movements of the fingers b and d, and consequently of the keys E, are limited by a series of pivoted stops, F, arranged to be brought into contact with crossrods f, passing through the fingers b and d. The stops F are carried by shafts f, pivoted to brackets a", attached to the base A and platform A, respectively. The brackets a on the platform A are insulated therefrom, for a purpose which will presently be explained. The shafts f are provided with a series of arms, f", arranged beneath the pins 0 on the keys E, either the said keys or the pins 0 (preferably the former) being of insulating material. Springsf (preferably coiled torsional springs, as shown) hold the armsf in contact with the pins e, which latter thus serve to support the keys E and to raise said keys after they have been depressed. The upward movement of the keys E will be limited by suitable stops, as by forming said keys with shoulders abutting against'the under side of the keyboard. This construction is shown in Fig. 2, in which the keys E are represented as being larger below the key-board A than they are above it, the tops of the enlarged portions of said keys forming the shoulders just referred to.

From the foregoing it will be readily under stood that when any one of the keys is de pressed its pin e acting on the adjacent arm f, will turn one of the shafts f, bringing the stop F thereon into the path of one of the rods,

f, so that when said rod strikes the stop the impinge against the upper surface of the platform A The keys in the left-hand row, Figs. 1 and 3, will be lifted in the same manner as the other keys; but the stop F, not being required on the left-hand shaft f, Fig. 3, will be omitted therefrom. v

The types 0 carried by the typecarrier O are preferably arranged to be driven horizontally against the imprcssion cylinder G by a hammer, H, carried by ajointed vibrating lever, H, the types being retracted by small spiral springs 0 The lower part, II, of the lever H consists of an armature of an electromagnet, I, and to the upper part, h, of said lever, just above the joint thereof, is attached a light spring, h", for retracting said lever. When the electrical circuit in which the magnet I is connected is closed said magnet will attract its armature, and the sudden movement of the lever H toward the magnet will give sufficient impetus to the hammer H to drive the particular type which may be in front of it against the impression-cylinder, and thus print the letter desired. To effect this result it will be understood that the lever H bends at its joint to permit of the proper forward movement of the hammer, by its momentum after the armature is stopped by contact with the magnet, the joint being constructed like an ordinary hinge or knifeblade joint, so that the backward movement of the upper part, h, of the said lever will be limited relatively to the lower part, h, thereof. As the circuit will be broken almost the instant that it is closed, (as will be explained presently,) the magnet I will cease to attract its armature, and the lever H will be quickly retracted by the spring it, this action of the spring being assisted by the natural rebound of the hammer.

The shafts f on the platform A are electrically connected together, and are also connected by a conductor, 2, to a battery, as 1. An electric current from said battery is thus free to pass to the shafts f and their-attached stops F, and when, by the depression of the fingers I), the cross-rodsf are brought into contact with'said stops,the electric circuit will be closed, and the current will pass through the fingers b and bar B to the frame of the machine, and through a conductor, 3, attached thereto, to the magnet l, passing from thelatter through a conductor, 4, back to the battery.

As the keys in' the left-hand row in Fig. 1 do not operate the fingers Z), the circuit in which the magnet I is arranged is closed by the keys in the said row in the following manner: A roek-shaft, f, similar to the shafts f,and electrically connected with the latter, and thus with the battery 1,is provided with a series of arms, J arranged to be engaged by pins 0 on the keys E. When any one of said arms is engaged by one of the pins 6 the shaftf will be partially rotated against the stress of its retracting-spring, and an arm or stop, f", 011 said shaft will be forced into contact with the metallic platform A or a pin,'a thereon, thus too closing the circuit and energizing the magnet I, so that it will operate its armature and the hammer H.

It will be understood that the arm f will strike the platform A or the pin a to complete the circuit at the instant that a key of the said left-hand row has descended the proper distance to give the requisite movement to the fi nger-bars B and D to bring the typecorresponding to the key depressed into position to be struck by the hammer H.

Theimpression-cylinder Gis mounted on a carriage, J, movable horizontally on a sup;

porting-bar, K, carried by arms 70, suitably sustained by the frame of the machine. The cylinder G- may thus readily be turned up by the operator when it is desired to examine the printin a spring, j, and its movement, as each letter is printed, is controlled by an escapement, L, engaging a rack, j, on said carriage, said escapement having a metallic contact-piece, Z, constituting an armature for an electro-magnet, M.

The magnet M is connected with the battery 1 by a conductor, 5, and by a conductor, 6, to a post, 7, insnlatingly attached to the base A of the machine. A contactarm, f", attached to a rock-shaft, f is normally held againstthe post 7, so that the current can pass through said shaft and a conductor, 8, to a contactpin, 9, insulatingly attached to one of the sides A. To the arm d of the bar D is insulatingly attached a contact-pin, d, which is connected by a conductor, 10, with the bat tcry 1. As the circuit just described is normally closed, the armature Z is normally held. in contact with the magnet M; but the instant that the circuit is broken the armature will be withdrawn from the magnet by the spring l, thus operating the escapement L and permitting the spring to move the carriage J half the length, horizontally, of one of the teeth of the rack j, and when the circuit is again closed the armature will be restored to its normal position, again permitting the carriage to move half the length of one of the said teeth.

The downward movement of any one of the keys E (excepting those in the upper row in Fig. 1) will movethe finger d, and conse quently the fiugerbar D and its attached arm d, causing the-latter and the contact-pin d, carried thereby, to reecde from the contact I which the magnet I is connected is normally open, while the circuit of the magnet M is normally closed. As the parts are so-arranged that the circuit of the latter magnet will be broken at the com meneement of the downward The carriage J is moved forward by movement of any one of the keys E, while the circuit of the magnet I is only closed at the termination of such downward movement, a short interval will occur between the breaking of one circuit and the closing of the other. From this it results that the armatures of the said magnets and the devices actuated thereby will operate successively.

In order to space the words it is necessary that the carriage J should receive an additional movement, which is provided forrby spacing-keys E, arranged at either side of the machine for the convenience of the operator. Small springs a, insulatingly attached to the base A, are arranged to form part of the conductors 6 and 8, respectively. keys E rests on one of the springs a, so that a slight depression of either of the said keys will separate the springs from their contactpieees a, and thus break the electric circuit of the magnet M and operate the escapement L, to permit of the forward movement of the carriage J, in themanner before described.

The carbon or inking ribbon N is carried by two spools, N, secured to hollow shafts a, turning on spindlesn, fixed to a frame or platform, N Each of the shafts a is provided at its lower end with a ratchet-wheel, n", and a gearwheel, a the former being secured to the shafts and the latter turning loosely thereon. Spring-actuated pawls it connect the gearwheels at with the ratehet-wheels 11?, so that said gear-wheels will be free to rotate independently of the shafts when turned in one direction, but will be connected with and will turn said shafts when rotated in the opposite direction.

On a swinging lever, n, is mounted a gear wheel, 02", adapted to engage a rack, f on the carriage J The lever a may be adjusted so as to engage the gearwheel n with either of the wheels n, and the said lever may then be secured in place by the set-screw n passing through the outer end of the said lever and Each of the impinging against the platform N or by other meaus, as bya projection on said lever engaging a recess in said platform. As the car being in engagement with one of the wheelsmf, willrotate the corresponding spool-shafts, n, and slowly wind the ribbon on the spool carried thereby, drawing it from the other spool. \Vhen the end of a line has been reached and the carriage is returned by the operator, the gearwheel a which is in connectionwith the rack j through the geaiwvhecl M, will turn loosely on its shaft, the pawl a, pivoted thereto, riding freely backward over the teeth of its ratchetwheel of. After the ribbon N has been wound upon one spool, N, the screw a will be loosened and the lever a adjusted to bring the gear-wheel 111' into engagement with the other of the gear-wheels, 12:, thus reversing the movement of the ribbon, which will then be wound on the other spool.

A guard plate or frame, 0, preferably of thin metal, and provided with an opening, 0, for the type, is interposed between the typecarrier 0 and the impression-cylinder G. This plate or frame serves to keep theribbon from smearing the paper being printed, and also as a means for engaging the spools to move the latter on their shafts, for the purpose of adjusting the ribbon vertically to bring successive portions thereof before the type. Said plate or frame 0 is provided with flanges 0, between which the spools are arranged, and also with threaded pins 0", projecting through cam-slots p of arms P, secured to a rock-shaft,p, pivoted to the platform N Set-nuts 0, adapted to the threaded pins 0 serve to hold'the frame 0 and arms I? in any position to which they may be adjusted. When it is desired to ad just the ribbon,the nuts 0 are loosened and the arms P turned with their shaft 1), thus raising or lowering the frame 0, and consequently the spools and ribbon.

Journaled in the flanges 0 of the frame 0 are two small rollers, 0, for guiding the ribbon and keeping it in proper alignment with the type of the type-form.

To the shaft of the impressioncylinderG is secured a ratchet-wheel Q, and on said shaft is loosely pivoted a pawl-carrying lever, B, normally held up by a spring, 1, attached to the carriageJ. Aswinging lever, S, is pivoted to a post, T, ad j ustabl y secured to the frame K, on which the carriage Jtravels, said frame being connected with the frame of the machine, so that it is stationary relative thereto.

To the post '1 and lever S is attached a spring, t, having a tendency to swing the lervcr. S toward the left in Eig. 8, the movement of said lever under the action of said spring being limited by a pin or stop, t,which comes in contact with the frame K. The lower end of the lever S is arranged in the horizontal path of the lever R,which moves with the carriage J, so that when the said carriage is returned by the operator to its initial position after a line has been printed, the said lever B, moving toward the right in Fig. 8, will come in contact with the lever S, and, as the latter swings, theshoulder s thereon will engage the said lever B and force the latter downward, causing the pawl carried by said lever to turn the ratchet-wheel Qand the impression-cylinder for the purpose of feeding the paper for a new line. When the carriage J again moves forward the leversR and Swill be returned to their normal positions by their springs and t, respectively.

To secure a variation in the spacing of the lines the lever S is provided with a series of holes, 8, preferably elongated, as shown, and the pivot-pin t". with a flattened head. 13y turning said lever, or the pin t so that the flattened head of the latter will register with the elongated holes 8, the lever S may readily he slipped off from the said pin and adjusted to a new hole, the end of the spring being also slipped out of its hole in the lever and placed in another hole. This vertical adjustment of the lever provides for more or less lost motion after the lever R comes in contact with the projection s,before the shoulder s of the lever S strikes the lever B, to operate the latter. Thus the spacing of the lines will be determined by the position in which the leverS is adjusted.

A set-screw, 15, serves to secure the post T to the frame K, and said post maybe arranged in the path of and thus serve as a stop for the carriage J at its backward movement: By loosening said screw said post may be adjusted longitudinally of said frame, so as to provide for stopping the carriage J and automatically feeding the paper at different points, according to the desired length of theliucs being printed.

A button, 9, attached to the shaft of the impression-cylinder, affords means for turning the latter independently of the automatic linefeeding mechanism just described.

The operation of my machine will be readily understood from the foregoing description. When one of the keys E is depressed, the typecarrier will be moved into such position as to bring the type corresponding to the key which has been depressed in front of the hammer H, which position of the type may be termed its printing position. The instant the printing position is reached the circuit of the magnet I will be closed and the hammer will be caused to strike the type to make the impression. As the circuit will not be closed to operate the hammer until the type to be impressed is in exact printing position, and as the printing positions of all the types will be accurately predetermined by the mechanical structure of my machine, it follows that aperfect alignment of the letters will be secured.

The feeding of the carriage J, which transports the impression-cylinder and the paper, is effected by the breakingand closing of the circuit of the magnet M, in the manner herebefore described, and as said circuit cannot be broken or closed except at the proper instants, accurate spacing of the letters and words necessarily results. 7 7

Although I have shown my type carrier'as being arranged to have a universal movement in a vertical plane, and the type as moving horizontally in said form, it will be understood that by changing the connections with the operating-keys, or by arranging said keys horizontally instead ofvertically, theposition ofthe type-form might be changed, so that it would have horizontal movements and the type vertical movements, without departing from the spirit of my invention. The electrical connections of the magnets I and M might also be somewhat different from those hereinbefore described without changing the results effected the others, or in connection with type-operating mechanisms differing from that herein shown.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a series of sliding keys, two rocking finger-bars arranged at right angles to each other, two sets of fingers, and a typeearrier connected with said finger-bars and adapted to move in two different planes, substantially as set forth.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a series of sliding keys, two rocking finger'bars, two sets of fingers, and a series of movable stopsoperated by said keys and serving to limit the movements ot'said fingers, substantially as set forth.

3. In atype-writing machine, the combination of a series of sliding keys, a rocking finger-bar, 13, having a series of fingers, I), a rocking finger-bar, D, arranged at right angles to the bar 13 and having a series of fingers, d, a type-carrier rigidly connected with the bar B, so as to rock therewith, but adapted to slide freely longitudinally thereof, and connections, substantially as described, operated by the bar D, for sliding the type-carrier longitudinally of the bar 13, all substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the keys E, of the finger-bar B, having fingers I) and arm I), the type-carrier G, arms 0, loosely embracing the bar B, slotted bar 0, finger-bar D, having fingers d and arm (1, and the link (1", substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the sliding keys E, having pins 0, the type carrier, the two rocking finger-bars, each having a series of fingers, and connections between said fingerbars and-type-carrier, of the crossrods f, the shafts f, having arms f, the stops F, carried by said shafts, and the springsf, substantially as set forth.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a series of sliding keys, two rocking finger-bars, two sets of fingers attached to said bars, a type-carrier movable in two different planes, as described, a series of types supported by said carrier, a hammer for fore: ing said types against theimpressioncylinder, an electro-magnet for operating said hammer, and an electric circuit in which said magnet is connected, adapted to be closed by any one of said keys when the type-carrier has been moved into proper position for the hammer to strike the type, substantially as set forth.

7 The combination, 'with the type-carrier and the types carried thereby, of the jointed lever H, the hammer H, carried thereby, the electromagnet I, and the retractingspring h, substantially as set forth.

8. I11 a type-writing machine, the combination of a series of sliding keys, two finger-bars arranged at right angles to each other, two sets of fingers attached to said bars, animpressioncylinder, a carriage on which said cylinder is mounted, a spring for moving said carriage forward, a rack-bar, an eseapement for controlling the forward movements of said carriage, an electro-magnet for operating said eseapement, and a circuit in which said magnet is connected,and which is broken when one of the said keys is moved, substantially as set forth.

9. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with the ribbon-spools, their shafts, and gear-wheels mounted on the latter, of a traveling carriage having a rack and a gear-wheel mounted on a movable axis and thus adapted to be shifted into engagement with either of the gear-wheels on the spool-earrying shafts, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of the platform or frame N, the spindles a, fixed thereto, the hollow shafts a, ratchet-wheels n-,loose gear-wheelsn pawls n", gear-wheel n lever a, and carriage J, having a rack, j substantially as set forth.

11. In a typewriting machine, the comb1nation, with the type-carrier, the type, the pression cylinder, and the ribbon carrying spools, of an adjustable plate or frame for the said spools, a portion of said plate or frame being interposed between the type-carrier and the impression cylinder and having an opening, and two rollers journaled in said frame and serving to keep the inking-ribbon in proper alignment, substantially as set forth.

12. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with the ribbon-carrying spools and the frame O,provided with pins o,ofthe connected sectors P, having cam-slots in which said pins are arranged, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination, with the frame K, earriage J, impression-cylinder G, ratchet-wheel Q, and pawl-carrying lever It, of the springt and the lever S, having a portion or projection, 8', arranged in the path of the said lever B, and a'shoulder,stadapted to positively engage and thus operate said lever R when the lever S has moved a certain distance, substantially as set forth.

14s. The combination, with the frame K, earriage J, impressioircylinder G, ratchet-wheel Q, and pawl-carrying lever B, of the lever S, having a portion or projection, 8', arranged in the path of the said lever R, and a shoulder, s,

the spring f,and the stop 15, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination, with the impressioneylinder-G,ratchet-wheel Q,and pawl-carrying lever B, of a swinging lever, S, connected with the frame of the machine and arranged in the path of the lever R, said lever S having a series of elongated holes for adjustment, thepiw ot-pin i having a flattened head, the spring 1', and the stop t, substantially as set forth.

I11 testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. HALL.

\Vitnesses:

EwnLL A. DICK, HENRY CALVER.

IIO 

